The Boston Celtics have been working hard this season to play well without their entire starting lineup intact. There haven't been many games that they have been able to play with all of their guys.
Boston has missed Kristaps Porzingis for a good chunk of the season due to multiple injuries and ailments. He has played in just 32 games this season
Porzingis has missed the last six games and has missed seven of their last eight. The last six absences stem from what is being described as a non-COVID-19 illness.
The Celtics are a good team, but they are a great team with Porzingis in the starting lineup. He has to figure out how to play more consistently.
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Porzingis revealed recently that he has been dealing with a viral illness. He mentioned on social media that it's something the team hasn't been able to diagnose yet.
It's very strange that they can't seem to figure out what is wrong with Porzingis. If it's an illness, there has to be some sort of test that they can run to figure out what it is.
Porzingis mentioned that he is recovering and is feeling better, but he's not ready to play basketball yet. He is trying his hardest to get back to full strength so he can keep helping the Celtics.
Boston will have to keep trying to win games without him in the lineup. It's something they have grown used to in the last couple of seasons.
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The Celtics are going to be the second seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs. They are pretty much locked into that spot, barring a late-season collapse.
They feel that they can repeat as NBA champions if they are able to stay healthy in the playoffs. That means getting Porzingis right.
The Celtics will be very careful with how they handle Porzingis for the rest of the regular season. He needs to do whatever he can to keep himself healthy heading into the playoffs.
This season, Porzingis is averaging 18.9 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 1.9 assists per game.
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